Safety device for crossings



0a. 21, 1924. I 1,512,441 J. M. ARENDALE I SAFETY DEVICE FOR CROSSINGS' File May 19/ 192:5 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 'A'rroRNEY WITNESS:

Oct. 21 1924. 1,513, 4

J. M. ARENDALE SAFETY DEVICE FOR CRO$SINGS Fi led May 19. 1923 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (2.1/11. ww/ka d/ J. M. ARENDALE SAFETY DEVICE FOR CROSSINGS Fi led May 19. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WITNESS' AITORNEY Patented Got. 21, 1924.

UNITED stares 1,512,4idi

JAMES M. ARENDALE, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR CR'OSSINGS.

Application'filed May 19, 1923. Serial No. 640,220.

To a-ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs M. ARENDALE,

a citizen of the United States, residingat Birmingham, in the county of J eiferson and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Crossings, of which the following 'is a specifi'cation.

An object of this invention is to produce a safety device for railway crossings in the nature of a revolvable member arranged transversely of a roadway at the opposite sides of a railroad revolved in the direction of approach of a vehicle or pedestrian toward the railroad to cause abackward movement to be imparted to either the vehicle or pedestrian, said means being'operated on the approach of a train in either direction from the crossing.

A further object is to produce a safety device for railway crossings in which the roadway is elevated for a considerable distance at the opposite sides of the crossing, and to arrange in the walls provided at the ,ends of the elevations roller members which are normally closed by heavy metal coverings so that a vehicle or pedestrian may readily travel thereover, means in the nature of a semaphore operated by the electric block, system of the railway by a train approaching the crossing from either direction swinging the semaphore to danger position and likewise swinging the covers to open position, while means, actuated by the same source is provided for revolving the rollers in a direction away from the crossing, so that both a stationary and a revolving obstruction is provided for persons or vehicles moving in the direction of the crossing when a train approaches the crossing.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects which will present themselves as the nature of the invention is better understood, reference is to be had to the drawings which accompany and which form part of this application.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway crossing illustrating the application of the improvement, on the roadway thereof.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical detail sectional view approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, in detail showing the semaphore 'cated by the numeralv 2.

arm thrown to danger position and the cover for the roller raised thereby.

Flgure 4 1s a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 4i l of Figure 1 and in detail. v

F 1gure 5 is a view illustrating the electric wirlng.

The rails of a railway track are indicated I in the drawings by the numeral 1 and the roadway which traversesthe track is indi The roadway for a suitable distance fromfboth sides of the track 1 is elevated, as at 3 and the said roadway, at this portion thereof, is excavated to provide a round transverse de pression therefor. In this depression there is arranged a metal pipe. segment 4, one of the ends of which being level with the road way proper and the other end terminating with the elevated portion 3. The casing 4 preferably has closed ends 5 provi'ded with bearing openings for anti-frictional bearings 6 that receive therethro'ugh a shaft 7 that passes centrally through a roller 8 Each of the rollers 8 may be and preferably has its outer surface corrugated longitudinally and also the rollers are preferably hollow but are constructedof hardenedmaterial, such as metal. A v I I v On the elevated end9 of thecasi'ng 4 there is hinged, as at 10 a cross sectionally concavo-convex cover 11 for the rollers 8. The covers 4: are also constructed of some light but strong metal, the said covers serving asan inclined plane over which travel vehicles or pedestrians when moving in the direction of the crossing.

To one side of each of the rollers 8 there is arranged a post 12, each of the said posts carrying a semaphore or pivoted signal arm 13, and a rod 14 is loosely connected be tween the semaphore and the cover 11;

Then the semaphore .is swung to danger so arranged as to cause the turning of the rollers 8 in a direction away from the crossing. The motor is in circuit with a source of electricity which, of course, includes a battery, and the conductors of which being connected to the rails of the track 1. Inthe circuit there is a circuit maker 16 which is really in the nature of a switch, and which is thrown to make the circuit when the wheels 17 of a car 18 approach the crossing from either direction completes the circuit.

It is thought that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings will fully set forth the construc-' tion and advantages of the improvement to those skilled in the art to which such inventions relate.

It is to be understood that while I have herein set forth a satisfactory embodiment of the invention as itnow appears to me, I hold myself entitled to make such changes therefrom as fall within, the scope of what I claim.

, Having c'laim:

1. A safety device for railway crossings, comprising rollers arranged transversely of the roadway at the opposite sides of the crossing over which traffic normally passes, and means actuated by a train approaching the crossing for revolving the rollers in a direction away from the crossing.

"2. A traflic obstructing means for railway described the invention, I

crossings when a train approaches the crossing, and in which the roadway, at a suitable distance from the crossing is elevated,

of'rollers arranged at the terminal of said elevated portions of therailway, and means,

actuated by a train approaching the crossing for revolving the rollers in a direction away fromj the crossing. V 1

3. In a trafiic obstructing means for railway crosslngs, in which the roadway is ralsed for a suitable distance at the sides of the crossing, of corrugated rollers journaled at the ends of the said raised portion of the roadway and over which the tratlic normally passes, of means actuated by a train approaching the crossing for revolving the rollers in a direction away from the crossing.

4. A trafiic obstructing means for railway crossings, in which the roadway is raised at and adjacent tothe crossing, com prising corrugated rollers journaled in bearings at the termination of the raised portions of the roadway, segmental covers therefor over which the trafiic passes, and means actuated by a train approaching the crossing for raising the covers and for revolving the rollers in a direction away from the crossing.

5. A traffic obstructing means for railway crossings in which the roadway is raised for a suitable distance from the sides of the crossing and in which said crossing at the terminal of the raised portions is concaved transversely, of segmental tubular casings arranged in the said concavities, a longitudinally grooved roller in each of the casings, anti-frictional bearings for the roll ers, segmental covers hinged to the elevated end of the casing designed to be normally swung over the rollers and provide a plane for the passage of traflic, and means actuated by a train approaching the crossing for raising the covers to horizontal position and for revolving the rollers in a direction away from the crossing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

. JAIWES M. ARENDALE. 

